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 Mark Holland and Adam Richardson, both in their final year at Manchester Metropolitan University, took first and second places respectively in the pitch that asked young creatives to produce online ideas for a hair styling wax. The digital brief was set by OpenAdTalent judge, Seb Royce of digital agency Glue London and the winning idea, ‘Ultimate Style. Crash Tested.’ came from Mark, who has now had two wins in the contest.
The challenge was the third in a series of nine started last year by OpenAd.net to nurture new talent. All wins count towards a ‘League Table’ of international universities chasing a final prize of 2000 GBP. OpenAd.net’s core business is linking clients with an on-line community of over 7000 creatives to buy and sell advertising, marketing and design ideas.
Holland said: “This is the first digital brief I've really got my teeth into. Coming up with an idea that consumers are actually going to want to interact with was a tough call.” Richardson added: “It has been good to get stuck into an interactive brief.”
Royce was impressed with Mark’s idea and commented that it was particularly successful because it focused on the brief and showed how the product is ‘disaster proof’. He advised that students should make a point of re-reading the briefs they work to throughout each stage of creating their idea. The results keep Manchester Metropolitan University at the top of the OpenAdTalent University League Board currently in line to take the contest’s overall prize.
Following Manchester Metropolitan University on the league board are the UK’s Southampton Solent University in second place; Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, also in the UK, in third place; the University of Palermo, Argentina and UNIACC, Chile, in joint fourth place and Farnham University College for Creative Arts in the UK in fifth place.
The winning idea can be seen on the OpenAdTalent site at www.openad.net/openadtalent, where a winners’ billboard shows Mark’s idea in full along with more of the judges’ comments on the top five ideas. OpenAdTalent runs a series of challenges to help apprentice creatives succeed in the world of advertising by offering cash awards and tutoring as well as the opportunity to sell their ideas.
Undergraduates from around the world compete in several pitches over the university year - this pitch included ideas from Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Romania and the United Kingdom. All entries to the contest can be seen by client members of OpenAd.net in OpenAd’s Gallery and are available to be bought. Unlike other student competitions, the young creatives are offered a real opportunity to make money from the sale of their ideas.
The next OpenAdTalent brief comes from Corbis the official sponsor of images for the OpenAdTalent briefs and it can be seen on OpenAd.net’s currently open pitches at www.openad.net.
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